You can't really dig deep on HIT-type workouts without a partner. Maybe 2 on squat day.
I’ve never had a training partner so when mucking around with HIT I quickly gravitated to machines. It was that or start taking risks with my health and that of my fellow gym goers. Then machines became vital with post-failure protocols. I never noticed any difference hypertrophy wise between machines and free weights. I was working out every 5 to 7 days, (more or less) and got good but not great results. In fact the results were very good for the level of time commitment but any program I did with more orthodox focus on multiple sets and frequency at 2+ workouts weekly was superiorI do not
That may be true
This may be correct
--------------------------
However interested I am in the basic paradigm of using brevity, intensity and infrequency of my attempts at hypertrophy work, I'm not so enamoured of any particular named HIT protocol.
So I've tried a few things and I'm trying to compare notes between them a bit. I've tried single set to positive failure. I've added reps by putting some body English into the concentric to get into using the more difficult negative . and I've done multiple sets and arranged them in ladders and repeat sets. I am playing with the dose , looking at how my body responds.
One of the things that startled me last week was something I didn't always grant similar attention to. The infrequency. Last week was the first week that I saw a big bump in size for my side delts. on the 7th and 8th days after the previous shoulder workout. Which for me is just kettlebell upright rows;using varied experimental loading distribution.
I was standing in the shower moving my arm around looking at my shoulder thinking, hey, what's that ? Almost like I got a new mole or something. So, I get out and look in the mirror. Sure enough, there's a valley forming between the front and side heads of the delts that wasn't there before. It's one of the largest changes and it came late. Very late after the previous set of work.
Looking back this morning, if I had to guess, upright rows , 32kg , 2 sets of 10-15 reps, once a week might be where the money is at for my shoulders, at least for now for where I am and the equipment I have, etc. My biceps are definitely different and may call for twice a week 32kg kettlebell crush curl 5/2 or 10/1. That's less clear.
However ill advised any of these particular laid out HIT plans may be , however difficult it may be to implement them without a partner, there is something in there that I recognize as having some utility.
The fortitude to dig deep into intensity.The patience to wait until adaptation has had its chance.And the intuition to do just enough, Not too much.
I'm much more thoroughly inducted to Strong Endurance methods. I'm using Strong Endurance Template 14 to drive hypertrophy, via swings and pushups.
I was in Indonesia recently and went to a 5* hotel for Sunday brunch. (Of course, I took the champagne package in return for my life savings.) The venue was full of people younger, better dressed and wealthier looking than me including a table full of super models. (And I mean super models, not that just phenomenon where once you turn 50 everyone under 30 looks drop-dead gorgeous.) These were about 10 or so super models there for some fashion shoot. What struck me apart from their attractiveness was how really healthy they all looked - the days of uber-skinny and heroin chic are clearly over. They all looked like they did resistance training and ate a lot of protein. Times have changed!I am not sure a lot of direct hypertrophy work is actually needed to achieve the physique most people desire. I often peruse some of the fitness forums on reddit and the majority of the time I think to myself "you're skinny fat just run the Giant, you will build the X illusion you are after and drop the fat you want." No one believes that simply eating like an adult and running a 2 exercise program 3x per week is the answer though so no sense in even typing a response to most of them.
Saw a proper body builder the other day. He was obviously cutting for a show as he had some serious striations going. Was sort of an unpleasant look to see in real life. OTOH when I passed a pro Rugby League team in Sydney, most of the guys were built like linebackers, and thought wow those guys are looking great. So yeah, I think there is a line between athletic and freaky and one is definitely more appealing to most people on an aesthetic level.
I haven’t read that study but it wasn’t what Schoenfeld’s famous study concluded. He concluded that to failure training was (probably) not required for optimal muscle growth. Mind you he went on to suggest that lifters do it sometimes.Re: Mentzer
![]()
Machines are better than free weights for Hypertrophy in my experience, almost zero learning curve and pure focus on providing the muscles the required stimuli for hypertrophy.I’ve never had a training partner so when mucking around with HIT I quickly gravitated to machines. It was that or start taking risks with my health and that of my fellow gym goers. Then machines became vital with post-failure protocols. I never noticed any difference hypertrophy wise between machines and free weights. I was working out every 5 to 7 days, (more or less) and got good but not great results. In fact the results were very good for the level of time commitment but any program I did with more orthodox focus on multiple sets and frequency at 2+ workouts weekly was superior
I know I am going to get criticism because I have no data. But that healthy look most of the time is supported with PED’s IMHO.I was in Indonesia recently and went to a 5* hotel for Sunday brunch. (Of course, I took the champagne package in return for my life savings.) The venue was full of people younger, better dressed and wealthier looking than me including a table full of super models. (And I mean super models, not that just phenomenon where once you turn 50 everyone under 30 looks drop-dead gorgeous.) These were about 10 or so super models there for some fashion shoot. What struck me apart from their attractiveness was how really healthy they all looked - the days of uber-skinny and heroin chic are clearly over. They all looked like they did resistance training and ate a lot of protein. Times have changed!
What I think is failure when I'm solo vs when someone is yelling at me is different.
The biggest differenve between all but the true heavyweight class BBer and someone doing basic training for a number of years all comes down to bf manipulation. You could take many athletes and turn them into BBer esque without adding any additional muscle mass.Saw a proper body builder the other day. He was obviously cutting for a show as he had some serious striations going. Was sort of an unpleasant look to see in real life. OTOH when I passed a pro Rugby League team in Sydney, most of the guys were built like linebackers, and thought wow those guys are looking great. So yeah, I think there is a line between athletic and freaky and one is definitely more appealing to most people on an aesthetic level.
8kg in 5 months (if that's lean tissue and not fat) is very impressive - it doesn't come better than that without PEDs. In fact usually lifters won't achieve anywhere near that without PEDsThis is nothing to do with anything, just sharing my recent hypertrophy results.
After years of kettlebell training, I just spent about 20 weeks running a 6 day bodybuilding style Push/Pull/Legs split, with lots of variety each week (ie both push workouts are different, etc). Two compound lifts per workout and two isolations.
I never went below 10 reps. Vast majority in the 10-20 range, for three hard sets, 0-2 RIR. A few lifts like rear delts, side delts, etc, went to 30 reps occasionally.
Results:
- I gained 8kg but still consider myself lean. 82 to 90kg (guessing that's about 182 to 200lbs).
- Everything grew immensely, especially neglected muscle groups: biceps, triceps, quads, side delts, calves most noticeably.
- I just hit an all time record for me on the KB Press: 40kg for 1 rep each side despite doing NO overhead pressing the entire 20 weeks. The whole time I only did flat and incline bench with BB and DB, dips, weighted pushups, and shoulder and tricep isolations.
- None of this is impressive or strange. But why hypertrophy training? If you want to get bigger and stronger.
The Benefit of MachinesI’ve never had a training partner so when mucking around with HIT I quickly gravitated to machines.
Machine for Hypertrophy and Maximum StrengthMachines are better than free weights for Hypertrophy in my experience, almost zero learning curve and pure focus on providing the muscles the required stimuli for hypertrophy.
for the majority of the population including most of health experts, there is no difference in between strength protocols versus hypertrophy protocols.
Healthy Looking IndividualsI know I am going to get criticism because I have no data. But that healthy look most of the time is supported with PED’s IMHO.
Are you saying that you're going to start minimizing your food intake because you've found it unethical to eat more than a sustenance level diet in light of global food shortages?Seems like a shallow position though...
If my actions affect others, the ethics of those actions should be considered as a general part of living an examined life.
I definitely make sure my fridge, freezer and pantry is empty before buying more. I also only prepare what I'm certain I can consume.Are you saying that you're going to start minimizing your food intake because you've found it unethical to eat more than a sustenance level diet in light of global food shortages?
Truth.You can't really dig deep on HIT-type workouts without a partner. Maybe 2 on squat day.
I’m saying “if you own it do what you want” is dumb.Are you saying that you're going to start minimizing your food intake because you've found it unethical to eat more than a sustenance level diet in light of global food shortages
I definitely make sure my fridge, freezer and pantry is empty before buying more. I also only prepare what I'm certain I can consume.
I have friends who serve up all the cooked food onto plates and then throw away what isn't eaten. It brings me out in hives.We are big, for reasons of time, on making a batch of food and then eating leftovers. I cannot bear - perhaps it's ethics, but more likely it's because my parents grew up in the Great Depression - to see food go to waste, so I typically look for whatever oldest in the 'frig when it's time to eat. (Reseable glass containers are a modern marvel in how long they keep food fresh.)
-S-
Same. Grew up with my great grandfather telling me stories about the Great Depression and it has impacted how I view food waste.We are big, for reasons of time, on making a batch of food and then eating leftovers. I cannot bear - perhaps it's ethics, but more likely it's because my parents grew up in the Great Depression - to see food go to waste, so I typically look for whatever oldest in the 'frig when it's time to eat. (Reseable glass containers are a modern marvel in how long they keep food fresh.)
-S-